US Home Office | Argentina | Bolivia | India | Kenya | Nicaragua | Uganda

Mireille Cronin Mather | Executive Director
A respected authority on international community development, Mireille’s experience spans programs in 30 countries throughout Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with field work in a dozen. She brings nearly 20 years' management and leadership experience in the non-profit and private sectors, with a scope ranging from community-based to international policy levels. Prior to joining FSD, Mireille was a director at the Institute for OneWorld Health, a non-profit pharmaceutical company funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and a team leader for USAID’s flagship child survival project (BASICS). She has also consulted for major international development organizations and domestic public sector programs, and worked in federal legislative advocacy. In 2012, Mireille served as a national mentor with Clinton Global Initiative University, and lectures on international development at conferences, universities, and symposia around the country. She has been featured in The Huffington Post, The Atlantic and Travel & Leisure for her work with FSD, and in BBC World’s Best Documentary 2007, Kill or Cure: Kala Azar 2 for her prior work in India. Mireille holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Virginia Tech. You can reach Mireille at mireille@fsdinternational.org.

Diego Rodriguez | Operations Officer
Diego was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, lived in Argentina, Spain and New York and has recently moved to San Francisco pursuing a career shift into the non-profit world. He graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2007 with a B.A. in Economics and Applied Mathematics. He is devoted to practicing a sustainable lifestyle by voting with his wallet and controlling his overall impact on the environment. Diego’s career interests include education and implementation of sustainable practices in agroecology, renewable energy and micro-economic development. He enjoys riding his bicycle around San Francisco, playing soccer, live music, travelling and getting creative in the kitchen. You can reach Diego at diego@fsdinternational.org.

Keiko Pinces | International Programs Officer - East Africa & India
Keiko has a long relationship with FSD, starting as an intern in Mombasa, Kenya in 2007 and returning to serve as International Program Coordinator at our Kakamega site in 2012. She has a range of experience in the non-profit sector, from fundraising to project management. With a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, she has always loved learning about and talking to people from all over the world. Keiko is excited to continue working with FSD, offering her insights on sustainable, community-based development. She spends her free time playing tennis, running half marathons, reading, watching movies and comedy tv, and exploring the city of San Francisco. You can reach Keiko at pinces@fsdinternational.org.

Julia Mergendoller | International Programs Officer - Latin America
Julia first visited Latin America during high school on a trip to Costa Rica. This trip sparked a passion for Latin America and sustainable community development that has continued today. Julia attended Wesleyan University and received a B.A. in Latin America Studies. Along with studying abroad in Chile, a highlight of her college years was an FSD internship in Nicaragua. She spent a summer working at a preschool in Jinotepe. As an intern, she earned incredible lessons about grassroots development, Nicaraguan culture, and global systems. Julia built on these lessons after college, when she worked with Amigos de las Americas as a Training Director and Project Director in California, Panama, and Paraguay. Now she is happy to be settled back home in the Bay Area. She spends her time reading, riding her pink bike around San Francisco, and exploring the beautiful state of California. You can reach Julia at julia@fsdinternational.org.

Anna Welton | International Programs Officer - Strategic Partnerships
Anna comes to FSD with over six years’ experience in the fields of sustainable development and global education. Prior to joining FSD she worked as a Senior Program Facilitator at World Learning, where she led peace-building and leadership programs for students from a range of countries including Iraq, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Turkey, Brazil, Cyprus and Serbia. Anna also served in 2009-2010 as the Director of the Princeton Bridge Year Program at the non-profit Proworld in Peru, where she led a group of students from Princeton University in implementing community-based sustainable development projects in rural Andean villages and taught seminars about development studies. Anna also spent two years living and working in Argentina and six months studying in Tokyo. She is passionate about community-building both home and abroad, and enjoys using art and music as a means to that end. You will often find her crooning folk songs from the mountains of her native North Carolina, hiking, biking or playing soccer. Anna holds a Masters in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management from SIT Graduate Institute and a B.A. in International Studies from Kenyon College.You can reach Anna at anna@fsdinternational.org.

Kevin Slattery | Marketing & Communications Officer
Kevin brings more than 10 years of nonprofit marketing experience within three of the nation's largest and culturally diverse destinations. Prior to joining FSD he served as the Associate Director of Marketing for the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program where he directed the organization’s internal and external marketing efforts. Kevin also brings extensive destination management experience through managerial roles with Convention and Visitor Bureau’s in Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. As a volunteer, he served as a docent with the Chicago Architecture Foundation and currently serves as an online chat counselor with the Trevor Project. Kevin holds a B.A. in Corporate Communications and Journalism from Northern Illinois University. You can reach Kevin at kevin@fsdinternational.org.

Erin Midkiff | International Programs Coordinator
Erin Midkiff was brought on as the San Francisco office's International Programs Coordinator after a 7-month stint as an intern. She graduated from the University of Arizona with her BS in Environmental and Water Resource Economics. After graduation, she moved to small town in China to work as a teacher in a local kindergarten. There, she was able to experience first hand the intricacies of different cultures and the beauty of economic development. She vowed that she would make it her life's work to have a hand in helping create a more just and sustainable world, and hopes her work will lead to more international travel. With a talent for living simply and loving deeply, it isn't hard for her to find happiness. She spends most of her spare time basking in the sun, baking, and reading the news. You can reach Erin at erin@fsdinternational.org.

Bianca Taylor | Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Bianca Taylor joins FSD as Marketing and Communications Coordinator after several months of interning, but a lifetime of interest in international affairs. Bianca graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies and a French minor. She has experience working for several Bay Area nonprofits and has tackled issues ranging from funding wetland organization to organizing community garden workdays in west Oakland. Her writing has been recognized with several academic awards and scholarships including the Sacramento chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Bianca is thrilled to be a part of FSD’s dynamic team and contribute her skills to their important work. When she’s not in the office, you can find her reading a book, riding her bike around Oakland, or on the search for a perfect beach day. You can reach Bianca at bianca@fsdinternational.org.

Salta, Argentina

Victoria Valle | Program Director
Born and raised in Salta, Victoria graduated in 2006 with a B.A. in International Relations. After graduation, she moved to Italy to pursue her studies, and with that she began a new stage in her life, trying to discover different cultures and living also in Mexico, Colombia, and Chile. Back in Salta since 2008, she has worked in different cooperation projects regarding environment, tourism and cultural heritage. In 2011, she obtained her degree as Specialist in International Cooperation for Development in Colombia, where she also worked as an intern for the Italian NGO COOPI. Victoria’s other interests include travelling, reading, playing table games, music, cooking and yoga.

Corrie Burdett | International Program Coordinator
Corrie graduated from the University of Oregon in 2009 with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Business Administration. Corrie focused her studies on Latin America and U.S. foreign policy and international development. In the fall of 2008, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Rosario, Argentina. Upon graduation, Corrie headed to Portland, Oregon where took a position with the local science museum and spent her free time continuing to study Spanish and volunteering with a local organization that supports refugees and immigrants. In 2012, she headed to Tola, Nicaragua as an FSD Intern and worked with Casa de la Mujer in the promotion and protection of human rights of all people, especially women and children. Corrie returned to the U.S. after her internship with FSD and is excited to be heading back to Argentina as the International Program Coordinator for the Salta site. In her free time, Corrie enjoys running, reading, learning, traveling, cooking, and meeting new people.

Cochabamba, Bolivia

Mauricio Ramirez Parra | Program Director
Mauricio has served as the Director of FSD's Bolivia program since it was initiated in 2000. A native Bolivian, Mauricio has extensive experience with the international community. He has been involved with various agricultural and environmental projects and has served as the coordinator for Farmer to Farmer, financed by USAID since 1996, in Cochabamba. In this capacity he supported projects that provided agricultural producers with technical assistance in the areas of beekeeping, livestock, and the production of fruits and vegetables. He is currently the President of Partners of the Americas in Bolivia, an organization that incorporates volunteers from North Carolina and Bolivia. Together, volunteers address the areas of health, agriculture, art and culture, search and rescue, women’s issues, rehabilitation, and justice. Mauricio has experience working with volunteers since 1995.

Anelisse Gabriela Yañez | Local Program Coordinator
Anelisse was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia. In 2010, she travelled to Brussels, Belgium in order to take a language course, during this year she had the opportunity to get to know Europe and experience different cultures. In 2011 she graduated from the Universidad Mayor de San Simon in Cochabamba in the Tourism Planning career. The career of tourism provide extensive knowledge in planning development projects, she did a tourism development project in rural areas of the southern cone of the city of Cochabamba with a group of students and teachers. She has also taken extension studies in marketing at the Universidad Privada Boliviana and the Universidad Mayor de San Simón. Currently in her free time she helps support the production and management of an independent band.

Cassandra Sutherland | International Program Coordinator
Cassandra Sutherland first moved to South America in 2007. Unable to decide on what country she wanted to visit she closed her eyes and pointed at a map; she lived in Paraguay for eleven months, and her love affair with the region began. Cassandra grew up in Bellingham, Washington before moving to San Francisco to earn her B.A in International Studies and Latin American Studies. During her time at the University of San Francisco she worked as a volunteer coordinator, with women’s health organizations, and as a research assistant. In the summer of 2009 Cassandra completed her internship with FSD in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua. Collaborating with survivors of domestic violence for an income-generating silk-screening project. Cassandra’s junior year she spent five months in Kigali, Rwanda learning about post-genocide transformation, and doing research on same-sex behavior and sexuality in East Africa. Cassandra is thrilled to be working with FSD in Bolivia. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading books, swimming and exercising, traveling, and being around people. Her goal is to get her PhD in Anthropology and become a University professor.

Jodhpur, India

Smita Sawant | Program Director
Smita worked in the field of economic development and women for 10 years prior to joining FSD. She began her career working with Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), a development organization that works with women collectives and rural communities in India. Through SSP, Smita was afforded her first opportunity to work with volunteers from the US and UK. While working in different parts of India, Asia, and Europe, Smita gained experience in international and community development, cross-cultural issues, and the art of facilitating. She has also managed different community development programs in the areas of water and sanitation, microfinance, disaster, health, and education. Smita has received many awards for her achievements working on sex workers projects in Mumbai, India. She holds a post-graduate degree in Sociology and is pursuing a post graduate degree in Human Resource Management from Mumbai University. Smita loves to travel, meet new people, discover new cultures, and indulge in adventure sports.

Isabel Sagar | Local Program Coordinator
Isabel Sagar is a Jodhpur native who has spent most of her life amongst the Blue City. She has her Masters in Political Science and has worked as a Sr. Marketing Executive for the past 5 years. Isabel previously had two years of experience working with foreigners in Delhi for tourism and working for the Canadian Embassy for their student programs. She is very excited to be partnering with FSD to have the opportunity to help foreigners adjust into India culture once again. Isabel speaks English, Hindi, and the local language of Marwari and loves to sightsee amongst all the old buildings of Jodhpur, enjoy music programs, and read. She is looking forward to being involved in the NGO development sector and helping others learn about India as she continues to learn about their home cultures.

Sophia Davis | International Program Coordinator
Sophia grew up in the small town of Carefree, AZ and began her journey with Indian society upon her first visit to the country in January 2010. She was inspired to return for the summer of 2010 where she interned with FSD in the city of Jodhpur. While in Jodhpur she fell in love with the hospitality, beauty and authenticity of India culture. Graduating from Biola University in 2011 with a degree in Intercultural Studies, emphasizing in International Development, she moved home to gain perspective working in the small business world before moving to Mumbai for the entirety of 2012. In Mumbai she served as a legal administrative working with victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Falling deeper and deeper in love with Indian culture through her vast experiences, Sophia is excited to return once again to the striking Blue City of Jodhpur to work as the IPC. Sophia has a passion for sustainable development and fully believes in the ability to see communities transformed through the empowerment of people within their society. Sophia loves the ocean, running, engaging in new adventures, and is convinced that you never know what a simple hello can lead too.

Udaipur, India

Roma Bhardwaj | Program Director
Before joining FSD, Roma was the Urban Block Coordinator with the renowned NGO Seva Mandir where she focused on women and children's education, health, and other issues. She has a Masters degree in Human Resource Management from Udaipur University (Mohan Lal Sukhadia University). Roma is originally from Udaipur and has great contacts throughout the city, including within the Allied System (government and NGOs alike). She has one twelve year old son, and she enjoys social work, working with interns, talking to people, building relationships, and helping the local community.

Diya Chundawat | Local Program Coordinator
Diya has a passion for education and is committed to enhancing FSD’s growth in Udaipur, her native home. She studied education and commerce and has a graduate degree in business administration from Vidya Bhawan G.S Teachers Training College, where she served as co-coordinator of a student committee. Diya has worked at two different schools in India and has also been a volunteer with FSD. She is an accredited Rajasthan state scout and guide, and is certified by the Defence Aerosports and Adventure Academy (Ahmedabad). In addition to achieving these accomplishments, Diya has also devoted her time to sports and dance. She hopes to grow professionally and personally through her contribution to FSD.

Corinne Aparis | International Program Coordinator
Growing up in a household of immigrant parents and migrant worker relatives, Corinne has always had an interest in learning and combating social justice issues. This interest developed at the University of San Francisco, where she earned a B.A. in English with minors in Politics and African Studies. During her time there, Corinne learned much of her project coordinating, fundraising, and outreaching skills through her work with a South African street children's organization called Umthombo: both on the field and back in San Francisco. Corinne's relationship with FSD began with an internship in Masaka, Uganda after receiving a scholarship through the Sarlos Foundation. In Masaka, she collaborated with Yiga Okola Womens' Group to create an income generating piggery project. After university, Corinne went on to work alongside families of refugee backgrounds in the resettlement process at the Brotherhood of St. Laurence in Melbourne, Australia. On her free time she loves surfing (no matter how cold the water is!), hiking, camping, watching live music, boogying around her favorite city of SF, and reading books that are too good to put down.

Kakamega, Kenya

Peter Khamusali Ingosi | Program Director
Peter has a long and demonstrated commitment to community development. Born and raised in the Shikokho district of Kakamega, Kenya, Peter has more than ten years of experience working with communities at the grassroots level, including public, private, and NGO sectors. He holds a B.S. in Animal Production, a diploma in Sustainable Development, a Masters degree in Community Development and Project Management. Peter currently serves as a key Advisor to Shikokho Community Development Initiatives, ensuring the ideas and needs of the community are incorporated into the design of each project. Peter has also consulted on numerous community development projects financed by both local and international government agencies as well as NGOs, with projects ranging in focus from microfinance and small business development to human rights, health, education, and quality of life for widows and orphans. Peter is married with three sons and a daughter.

Pollyne Khasandi | Local Program Coordinator
Pollyne recently graduated from Daystar University (Nairobi, Kenya) with a bachelor’s degree in Community Development and a minor in Peace and Transformational Studies. She is passionate about working with communities (and especially children) in transforming their lives. During her studies, Pollyne worked with Compassion International Organization as an intern based in Kawangware slums in Nairobi; currently she is a part time volunteer with Connecting Voices of Inspiration for a better Tomorrow (COVIT) in Kibera slums (Nairobi) that deals with community service, better education for the children; equipping the community with leadership and ICT skills. Pollyne's hobbies include, travelling and meeting people from different communities/cultures, cooking, reading inspirational and motivational books.

Sarah Doughty | International Program Coordinator
Sarah Doughty was born and raised in Denton, TX. Sarah graduated from the University of North Texas with a BA in International Development. Her first love for Africa started when she studied abroad in Tunisia to research women’s status in Islamic and developing countries. She then completed an internship with FSD in Kakamega working with a women’s empowerment organization, where she was able to develop new educational materials, rehabilitate local capacity building, and organize a workshop that focused on the prevalent issues concerning women of the community. Her studies and work in Africa have ensured a lifelong passion and commitment to its people. She is currently involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters and various other non-profit and community development organizations. In her free time, she loves to travel and learn about different cultures. Most recently, she did a month-long backpacking trip through Central America to celebrate graduating. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family (mom, dad, and 14- year old sister), going to concerts, seeing plays, and reading. Her future plans are to get a master’s degree in public/global health and to continue her career in international sustainable development.

Mombasa, Kenya

George Agarn | Program Director
After attaining his diploma in Community Development and Project Management, George has worked over 12 years with numerous community-based organizations and NGOs to facilitate development solutions and social empowerment. His efforts have made a substantial impact in Mombasa on poverty-related issues brought about by social injustices, among other causes. As a community trainer and counselor, George mobilized people living with HIV to become involved in community-based prevention, care, and support. These initiatives serve to reduce stigma levels and empower vulnerable groups to engage in microenterprise for secure livelihoods. George also volunteers and supervises various community development projects implemented by the Kenya Red Cross Society and Pathfinder International. These projects include HIV & AIDS management, women’s empowerment, and microenterprise development – especially savings mobilization and income generating activities. George is a member of Behavior Change Communication team in Mombasa district where he works closely with youth. He is a strong advocate for human rights and a member of resource tracing team MOHAANET (Mombasa HIV/AIDS Advocacy Network). George is married with two children, a son and a daughter. He also fosters two orphaned children.

Jerusa M. K. Bosire | Local Program Coordinator
Jerusa is driven by the desire to apply skills and competence acquired through college training and previous volunteering experiences to improve the lives of people while positively contributing to the organization’s mission of finding effective solutions to development issues. She is a Sociology graduate who completed her undergraduate studies in December 2004. Upon graduation, she worked with the Kenya Red Cross Society as a volunteer in the Action Team for four months, then joined WOFAK (Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya) as a volunteer counselor and social worker. She has also worked as a part-time lecturer in a local college where she taught an evening Community Development class to diploma students.

Daniel Simpson | International Program Coordinator
was a Communications and Marketing Intern in our San Francisco Headquarters for more than a year. His interest in international affairs was piqued at an early age, leading him to take an intensive-study summer course at Peking University in Beijing, China, and later choosing to study abroad for a year in the south of France while studying International Relations at San Francisco State University. His passion for sustainable development began years ago when he did grassroots street fundraising for development and community-based organizations in San Francisco, and he is pleased to be able to pursue this passion as the International Program Coordinator at our site in Mombasa. In his free time, Daniel loves exploring local music scenes, meeting strangers, and learning how to take his camera off the ‘auto’ setting.

Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua

Maria de Jesus Zepeda | Program Director
Maria has served as FSD's Country Director in Nicaragua since 1998. She is a licensed social worker and psychologist, with a specialization in clinical attention and attention to families. Maria has a post-graduate degree in forensic psychology, and in 2011 she received her master's degree in Social Politics, Rights, and Leadership for Children and Adolescents. She completed a course on "facilitation for facilitators" that has helped her with the many leadership roles she has taken on. Maria’s professional history demonstrates a dedication to her community. She was hired by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health to manage community health education programs and direct the Department of Social Work in the Hospital of Ciudad Sandino. She also directed a program geared at preventing interfamilial violence and promoting reproductive health for the Fundación Mejia Godoy, financed by USAID. She has extensive experience developing projects and facilitating projects for health educators, midwives, and volunteers who work in public and community health. With the help of FSD volunteers, Maria works to help organizations improve the quality of life in Nicaragua. Her focus is empowering women, promoting community development, and supporting organizations in Nicaragua develop sustainable community projects.

Karen Lopez | Local Program Coordinator
Karen is Ciudad Sandino’s Local Program Coordinator. After graduating from high school in Managua, Karen became a technician in social development. In recent years, she has taken several computer and English courses, she is currently working towards a law degree at the University of Managua. Karen has experience working with Nueva Ola, which is a program that trains teachers and students in the teenage pregnancy prevention. Karen helps the Site Team by preparing workshop materials and maintains communication with the host families.

Abbie Hyche | International Program Coordinator
Abbie graduated from the University of Alabama Interdisciplinary Studies program with a depth study in Latin American Studies and Development. Her understanding of international development has been shaped by travels through Europe and study abroad in Argentina and Peru. In college she held community development internships and worked as a tutor to students who speak English as a second language. After graduation, she spent time in Masaya, Nicaragua as an FSD intern. There at a local micro-finance institution, she facilitated training in business administration, networking strategy and product innovation for artisan small business owners. Abbie is excited to return to Nicaragua to support FSD's efforts in sustainable development.

Jenna Harvey | Global Service Trip Program Coordinator
Jenna first became interested in Central America while working on her senior thesis—a comparative analysis of gender dynamics within the informal economies of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. As soon as she received her degree in Global and Development Studies from UC Santa Cruz in 2010, she set off for Nicaragua to learn about the subject matter of her research firsthand. As an FSD intern in Tola, she worked with a group of entrepreneurial women on the formation of a baking cooperative. She briefly returned to the US, only to discover she wanted nothing more than to go back to Nicaragua. She returned a month later as the International Programs Coordinator in Ciudad Sandino. She subsequently worked as Training and Capacity Building Assistant at Accion International where she supported technical learning initiatives for global partners. Jenna is interested in going back to Latin America every chance she can get, and would like to continue her research on gender and labor markets. Her future plans include getting a masters degree, improving her surfing skills and learning Portuguese.

Tola, Nicaragua

Ramiro Adoni Rocha Rodríguez | Program Director
Ramiro has been involved with NGOs focused on sustainable community development for the last eleven years and loves his work. Some of these organizations include CEPS, Fundación Nueva Generación, ACSUR, Las Segovias, Médicos del Mundo (Spain), and Save the Children (USA). His educational background includes studies in social work, citizen participation, the environment, community organization, conflict resolution, and education. He has been involved with projects including early childhood education, community health, reproductive health, women's labor rights, citizen participation, youth groups, and other issues. Through FSD, Ramiro hopes to continue contributing to improving the quality of life in local Nicaraguan communities.

Alexandra MacPhee | International Program Coordinator
A three month backpacking trip to Central America in 2008 first sparked Alexandra’s interest in living in the region. She returned to Nicaragua in 2009 to volunteer, which confirmed her commitment to working in the non-profit sector in Central America. After graduating with a B.A. in International Development Studies from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, Alexandra began pursuing career opportunities in the field of development. This search brought her back to Nicaragua in June 2010, when she embarked on a 13 month internship in community development in a rural town. The following year, Alexandra jumped at the opportunity to get to know neighboring Honduras better and accepted a position in fundraising at a microfinance institution, which took her to rural areas across the country. While this experience was very rewarding, Alexandra is excited to be moving back to Nicaragua and eager to be working with community members and FSD interns on fostering positive change in Tola. Alexandra enjoys reading, traveling, hiking, learning Spanish, and spending time with friends and family.

Ellen Duval | Global Service Trip Program Coordinator
Originally from earthquake-prone Christchurch, New Zealand, Ellen graduated in 2011 from Victoria University of Wellington with a BA(Hons.) in International Relations and Spanish, which added to the graduate diploma in French that she obtained in 2010. A semester spent on exchange to Santiago, Chile, in 2009 sparked a long-lasting interest in the languages, literatures, peoples and landscapes of Latin America. Throughout her time at university she was involved with several youth volunteer projects and developed a passion for social justice and community development issues, while working as a media analyst for a New Zealand research company. In 2012 she had the opportunity to complete a four month internship with FSD in Las Salinas, Nicaragua, helping to set up a counselling centre with the local high school. When she’s not working Ellen enjoys travelling, running, reading, meeting new people and spending time with old friends.

Jinja, Uganda

Margaret Nassozi Amanyire | Program Director
Margaret is a development worker with more than a decade’s experience working with communities on social development. She began her career as a Government Civil Servant with the Ministry of Gender and Community Development in Uganda, where she worked with Culture, Women, and Youth. She later worked as District Community Development Officer in Western Uganda. She has since been working as Coordinator for a Civil Society network organization and has done consultancy work with the European Union and CARE International. She has facilitated the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of both strategic and action plans for Civil Society Organizations. Margaret is the holder of a Bachelor of Development Studies, the Commonwealth Diploma in Youth and Development, and a Diploma in Music Dance and Drama. She is married to Dr. Gideon Amanyire and has two sons aged 17 and 15 as well as several adopted children.

Jonan Nandolo | Local Program Coordinator
Jonan majored in Public Administration and Management at Nkumba University Uganda and holds a Bachelor’s in Social Sciences. Before becoming a Program Coordinator, Jonan worked with Apas consultancy firm as a Research Assistant in health insurance policies, youth, and education before joining Plan International as a volunteer in human resource management. Through Plan International, Jonan developed a love for children by meeting kids from different backgrounds within the local communities. Jonan also worked with VEDCO (Volunteer Effort for Development Concerns) as a Research Assistant in sustainable agriculture farming and produce. He loves entrepreneurship, meeting people from different lifestyles, listening to music, traveling, cooking, and watching movies.

Samera Edwards | International Program Coordinator
Samera first joined FSD in the San Francisco office as the executive assistant intern. Throughout a year in this position, she learned much about the organization and about community-based sustainable development. Samera graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in International Relations and a focus in economic development. During her time at SFSU, she helped co-coordinate one of the largest student organizations on campus, through which she taught other students about community organizing and social change, and organized many events. Samera also assisted two groups of students from the International Relations department through the National Model United Nations Conference in New York where the students presented proposed solutions to international issues. Samera has utilized her passion for community action in neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay Area and also abroad. During one summer, Samera worked in Ethiopia with orphans and widows. She was inspired by the passion and motivation of the women who made positive changes in their community. Samera enjoys traveling, listening to music, and meeting new people.

Masaka, Uganda

Anita Sempa | Program Director
Anita holds a Masters of Science Degree in Extension for Natural Resource Based Livelihoods from Reading University in UK and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Makerere University, Kampala Uganda. She is a linguist, speaking majority of the languages spoken in Uganda while also speaking and writing English, French Kiswahili, and Russian. Anita has experience in Rural and International Development since 1992 working with grassroots communities. She also has extensive experience in communication and management skills for Rural Development, with strong mobilization skills. Over the course of her career, she has been involved in various media activities geared towards reaching rural communities through appropriate media. Anita has engaged in various projects dealing with environmental conservation, water and sanitation improvement, and agro-business, and was active in HIV/AIDS education regarding prevention and stigma reduction. She enjoys working with people from varied cultural backgrounds, and she has a keen interest in governance policy development, women emancipation and equity. Anita was a Board Member of several organizations, including the Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA) and Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association (UWEAL), and she is a Life Member of the Uganda Red Cross Society. Additionally, she was the Founder of the Rural Integrated Development Organization (RIDO). Anita’s hobbies include dancing, cooking and gardening.

Nina Mago | Local Program Coordinator
Nina recently graduated from Uganda Martyrs University with a degree in development studies and ethics. She volunteered repeatedly with FSD during school vacation where she played a vital role in translation, needs assessments and project design. One of the things she enjoyed most about volunteering with FSD was that it gave her a chance to help international interns and students integrate into the local community. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and meeting new people.

Robert Wintersteen | International Program Coordinator
Robert has followed a unique path to becoming the International Program Coordinator for Masaka, Uganda. He served in the U.S. Navy for eight and a half years before leaving to pursue his BA at Columbia University. While there he majored in African Studies and minored in Political Science and traveled to East Africa twice for various study abroad and internship opportunities. He first studied abroad in Kenya for almost four months and interned in Nairobi at a citizen’s advocacy organization for transparency and accountability in the government of Kenya. He then returned to East Africa in the summer of 2011 with FSD to intern at a microfinance organization in Masaka, Uganda. Immediately following that he decided to extend his stay four months after being offered an internship with a social enterprise organization in Rwanda that works with women’s artisan cooperatives. Since graduating in May 2012 he has been searching for an opportunity to return to East Africa and is very excited to be doing so with FSD in Masaka. In his free time Robert enjoys reading, watching movies, traveling, hiking, going to concerts, and learning how to cook East African food. He is looking forward to returning to Masaka and seeing all of his friends again.

Interns and Volunteers

Fabiola Ramirez is a Spanish-English translation intern for the International Program Team (IPT) at FSD. She is a senior at San Francisco State University majoring in International Relations. She was born in Peru, and is fluent in Spanish. After taking several classes that discussed sustainable development, Fabiola became interested in the topic. Furthermore, she attended the National Model United Nations Conference of 2012 in New York City. Fabiola and her classmates represented the country of Honduras. She was part of the committee for the Conference of Sustainable Development: Rio+ 20 with topics such as the green economy and poverty eradication in the context of sustainable development. Fabiola enjoys Peruvian food, learning about other cultures, and travelling.

James Buckley Galloway is an artist and writer, who graduated with his MFA (Painting) from the San Francisco Art Institute. www.jamesbuckleygalloway.com. During the spring of 2005, James embarked on a 100-day academic voyage with Semester at Sea. Avoiding death from a run in with a 50-foot rogue wave, James circumnavigated the globe. James was exposed to varying academic themes, and cultures while visiting ten unique countries. It was on this trip that James passion for India was born. During the fall of 2006, James ventured back to India to study traditional and contemporary Indian Art in Jaipur, India, with the School for International Training (SIT). In the spring of 2007, James experienced India for a third time on Global-Lab’s semester program. During this cultural immersion in three regions of India, including: Varanasi, Dharamsala and Ladakh, James lived with homestay families, attended anthropological lectures, and volunteered for education and sustainable development initiatives. In the spring of 2008, James worked in the Poverty Reduction and MDGs sector of the UNDP in Thimphu, Bhutan. James helped organize a Druk Air Flight stewardess uniform competition, select 12,000 craft items for the Smithsonian's 2008 Folk Life Festival, and initiate the Bhutan SEAL of Excellency program (a benchmark for artistic quality). Teaching art at the King’s library led to a friendship with Bhutanese nobility, and an appointment as a 2nd grade teacher at Thimphu Primary School. James developed and hosted weekly radio shows on American Blues and Art Rock on Bhutan’s Kuzoo FM. James danced at the King’s coronation with an offshoot of the Royal Academy of Performing Arts. James was awarded the 2008 William Jefferson Clinton American India Foundation Fellowship. James domestically serves as a member of the USADRC's emergency command vehicle.

Anubha Jain Anubha joined FSD as a Corporate Engagement Intern. Her educational background is in child development and public policy. “Local knowledge is power”, her development philosophy, is shaped by her grassroots experience in India, Kenya and the US. Her passion for addressing poverty and child development issues globally guides her work with international and Bay Area communities. Anubha comes to FSD with experience in social science research through projects at UNICEF, UCLA, and the Brookings Institution--and a strong understanding of the CSR sector. She looks forward to bringing together her knowledge of the nonprofit and for-profit world at FSD. Bitten by the travel bug, Anubha has walked five continents and can’t wait to take the count to six. A passionate dancer, hiker and theater enthusiast, she loves to indulge in the creative arts.

Rachael Massonne is FSD’s Executive Assistant Intern. She recently graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo with a B.A. in International Relations in the Developing World and a minor in German. Rachael’s interest in international relations and sustainable development formulated during her year abroad in Germany and her FSD Service Learning Trip to Kakamega, Kenya. She also recently studied abroad and volunteered in Peru. Rachael is very excited to learn about the inner workings of FSD’s programs and in her spare time she enjoys eating sushi, reading, and exploring San Francisco.

Alisa Beckwith is a Grants Research intern at FSD, hailing from Gold River, California. She is a recent graduate from University of the Pacific where she earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Policy and minors in Sustainability and Film Studies. Some of her favorite undergraduate classes included Sociology: Environment and Society, and Civil Engineering: Sustainable Systems. She has previously interned with Solar Cookers International, in Sacramento, California, where she first gained exposure to the world of non-profit organizations and grant research. She spent this past summer interning in London with a sustainable business certification company called Planet Positive. Alisa thoroughly enjoyed her time in London this summer and is excited to now be interning with FSD at the San Francisco office. When she isn’t in the office she can be found watching Audrey Hepburn movies or taking her long-hair dachsund, Lucy, for a walk.

Kevin Etlicher was born in Milwaukee and raised in the suburbs of Colgate, Wisconsin. He joined the FSD International Communication team in SF in May, 2013. He is currently a junior Northland College in Ashland, WI and is pursuing a double major in Sociology and Sustainable Community Development. As a freshman at Northland College he circumnavigated Lake Superior in a month long camping expedition. On his journey around the lake he developed an even greater passion for sustainability in the Lake Superior Watershed and wanted to bring his knowledge into a global context at FSD. When not working at the office his hobbies include guitar, exploring the outdoors and cooking delicious food.

Lucas Coffee was born in San Francisco and raised in the burbs. He became fascinated with international relations early on and soon developed a passion for sustainable development. He has acted as one of FSD’s marketing and communications interns for a little over a year now; he is constantly impressed and inspired by the efforts of his coworkers and the remarkable achievements of FSD and its partner organizations. When not working at FSD, Lucas enjoys backpacking, home renovation, and graphic design.

Raven Williams is a programs intern working through FSD. She was born in San Francisco and has always loved to travel. She is a class of 2011 graduate at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, where she liked studying art and English. She was an active participant in the All Student Body activities and also participated in I-teach Academy. She loves listening to various types of music in her spare time.

Onur Kaya is FSD's SalesForce guru. He loves playing soccer in his hometown of Istanbul, Turkey. Onur lives in Istanbul and continues to help FSD virtually.